68 DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 



8criptions of the new species, which I have obtained amongst Mr. Hynd- 

 man's dredgings from the coast of Antrim. 



I trust that the many excellent naturalists of whom Ireland can 

 boast, and who have proved their ability so conspicuously in the various 

 departments of the science, will pardon my Saxon audacity in trespass- 

 ing on a territory which belongs of right to them. 



"Within the last few years a great number of new zoophytes have 

 been found on the English coasts, most of which may be expected to 

 occur in Ireland. But as yet, a large proportion of them seem to have 

 escaped detection, or, at least, have not been recorded by Irish observers. 



Of the family Campanulariadce alone, no less than twelve new spe- 

 cies have been published since Mr. Thompson's fourth volume was issued. 

 Of these, six are included in the supplementary list which I am about 

 to lay before the Society. Six still remain to reward the diligence and 

 acuteness of collectors. 



Large additions have also been made to the families Coryniadce and 

 Tubular iadce, in which, no doubt, the Irish Fauna should participate. 



Turning to the Polyzoa, the greatest increase of species has taken 

 place in the case of the Membraniporidce. There seems, indeed, to be 

 scarcely a limit to the forms of Lepralia. The researches of naturalists 

 have been constantly adding of late to this multitudinous and beautiful 

 tribe, and there is reason to believe that the field of discovery is very 

 far from being exhausted. In this paper nine species of Lepralia are 

 recorded as Irish, which do not appear in Mr. Thompson's list, of which 

 two are new to science, and one has only been known previously as a 

 Crag fossil. The latter is amongst the produce of Mr. Hyndman's deep- 

 water dredgings. There is every probability that many more of the 

 Crag forms may be obtained by careful investigation, and those who 

 may have opportunities of dredging should be on the look-out for them. 

 Mr. Busk's admirable monograph, published by the Palseontographical 

 Society, aifords a ready means of identifying the species. 



Of Membranipora, seven species are included in my catalogue which 

 are wanting in the " Irish Fauna," and of these two are new. 



Few genera demand more careful study than Cellepora. A consi- 

 derable number of undescribed British species exist, but much difficulty 

 attends the determination of them. The eye is bewildered by the amount 

 of structure which often appears on the surface of the polyzoary, and 

 does not readily seize upon the distinctive characters. Dr. Johnston 



